Bag or envelope



April 24, 1951 I. A. REISS Q 2,549,931

BAG 0R ENVELOPE Filed June 23, 1948 2 Sheets-8heet 1 Ap 1951 A REISS2,549,931

BAG 0R ENVELOPE Filed June 25, 1948 Z Sheet -Sheet 2 27 Fics. 4

24- FIG- 5 1 I Patented Apr. 24, 1951 BAG OR ENVELOPE Irwin A. Reiss,Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Associated Paper ConvertingCorporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California 7Application J une 23, 1948, Serial No. 34,737

1 Claim. (o 229- 54) My invention relates to a bag or envelope of paperor similar material, such as is used in carrying relatively lightarticles of merchandise. The invention is more particularly directed toimproved carrying and locking means for such bags or envelopes, in whichthe Carrying and locking means are combined into an integral structureand the flap of the bag or envelope can be readily and securely lockedinto place.

Up to now, bags available for carrying light,

articles and provided both with a handle and a locking means for thehandle are of a construction which make it difficult to fold the closureflap and to securely lock the fiap and handle in position.

The purpose of my invention is to avoid these disadvantages by providinga construction affording easy closing and secure locking of the closureflap in a single manual operation. In addition, this locking structuremarkedly contribute to the strength of the handle and moreoverreenforces the handle against tearing.

My invention and its advantages will be understood from the detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figur 1 shows a front view of the top of my bag with the closing flapup, the lower portion'of the bag being broken away;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the top part of my bag, the latterbeing opened with the flap in extended position;

Figure 3 shows a front view of the top of the bag with the flap infolded but unlocked position;

Figure 4 shows a front view of the top of the bag with the flap closedand the locking tongue back of the projecting guide and locking means;

Figure 5 shows the top of the bag with the locking tongue foldedupwardly in locked position;

Figure 6 is a cross section along line 6-6 of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a view of a modified embodiment of my bag.

By reference to the embodiment of my bag illustrated in Figures 1 to 6of the drawings, it will be seen that the bag comprises body panels l0and l I, which are suitably united at their side and bottom edges in aconventional manner. While the drawings illustrate a die cut envelope orbag, it will be understood that the invention is also applicable toserrated edge bags or envelopes without further modification. One of thepanels II is provided at its top with a foldable flap l2, which carriesin its central part a foldable locking tongue B. This locking tongue isformed by slitting the 2 flap along two lines It and I5, thus enablingthe locking tongue to fold readily along a line AA joining the innerends of the slits l4 and I5.

The top portions of the body panels are provided with a pair of alignedelongated openings l6 and I! which not only serve as convenient carryingmeans or handles of the bag but, as will be more fully described below,receive the tongue [3 to look the flap I2 securely in its closedposition. Th openings are defined at their top and bottom by straightparallel edges, 1. e., by the edges l8, [9 in the case of the opening l6and edges 20, 2|, in the case of opening H. The side walls of theseopenings have inwardly projecting, preferably V-shaped portions 22, 23in the case of the opening I6, and 24, 25 in the case of the opening I1,these said portions extending inwardly into their respective openingsintermediate the top and bottom edges thereof, as shown in Figure 2.While V-shaped. projections have been indicated as preferable, they mayof course also be of suitable arcuate contour. As will be observed, theside walls of the openings define reentrant angles with respect to theopenings, the projecting portions 22, 23, 24, 25 serving as guiding andlocking means for the side edges of the locking tongue during thelocking operation, as will appear hereinafter. The upper edge 26 of eachprojection forms together with the adjacent end of the upper edge of theopening a V-shaped lateral slit 26 which receives and retains thecorresponding side edge of the locking tongue when the latter is in itslocking position in the openings. As shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, the widthof the openings "5 and I! at their top and bottom edges is preferablyslightly greater than the width of the free edge and the fold line orbase A-A of the locking tongue I3 and is not less than the same in orderto insure easy introduction of the tongue into the openings l6 and I1and its ready guiding into the locking slits 26'.

When the bag or envelope is to be closed, the flap I2 is folded as shownin Figure 3 about the line 21 which substantially corresponds with theupper edge of the panel It]. When the flap is thus folded to closingposition the free edge 28 of the locking tongue, before the latter isintroduced into the openings, terminates short of the lower edges [9 and2| of the openings, as will be readily observed by referring to Figure3. Thereupon, the locking tongue i3 is pushed 'inwardly through theopenings, the V-shaped side walls of which form means for guiding theside edges of the locking tongue (formed by the slits l4, l5) until theside edges of the locking tongue enter into the V-shaped lateral slits26 formed in the top portions of the aligned openings, the relativeposition of the parts being now as illustrated in Figure 4 of thedrawings. As is clearly apparent from Figures 3, 4 and 5 of thedrawings, the width of the locking tongue I3 is greater than thedistance between the inner ends of the opposed V-shaped projections 2'2,23 and 24, 25. Thereforer'once r the side edges; ..of "the, lockingtongue' -have entered into the aligned V-shaped slits 26' at the upperportions of the openings l6, H, the locking tongue is securely receivedand retained therein, and the V-shaped projections Will resist therelease and the return of the tongue l3 to the front of theprojectionsfi Thereafter,

be used for uniting the tongue to one of said panels. These additionalmeans may be of various types, such as adhesive, string or a metalclamp, (not shown) for binding the tongue I3 5 to the marginal area ofthe panel ll above the upper edge N3 of the opening I6.

I claim: A; baglsora; envelope--;comprisi,ng,mb;o.dy panels runit'ed"at' their side and -bottomedges, one of 10 said panels being providedwith a foldable top cgclosing flap, a foldable locking tongue carried-by:said flap, aligned openings in said body panels at the top portionsthereof, the upper end of one ofthe gopeningsterminating in lateralslits adaptthe locking tongue is folded upwardasoyas toi-1ie;;5'-ed"to;,receive: andretain the locking tongue in on the outsideof thepanel Il with'its freeed'ge 28 adjacent the fold line oftheaolosinguflap sas shown in Figure 5 and particularly in Figure 6.

The bag or envelope can now be easily-'carri'ed in locked position byinserting the hand or fingers throughe the. aligned openings ;l 6 sand4| 1.

As is;-;apparent from an inspectionpofz-Eigures 1, 2 :and- 6,:thevaareaaround thejopeningsuand the locking tongue-gas, W611;asgt-hexlockingctongue itself-,- -a-reprovided, withsuitablereenforcing-ma- .eterial 29;;30.

:In: a, slightly modified constructiomillustrated ':in Figure 7;reenforcing'matenial:31 183,.D1'0'Vid6d ion a-portion of-:thejfiap abouttheglockings-itongue l3i'andfor the;upper outer portion-ofxthe panelr'around-the-opening I has :shown "at 32,

Under certain circumstances, ,aswhen the bag g .ore,-'envelopee of the Kpresent; :inventioneisxto: be useds-for-;maili;ng purposes; additional;means :may

position 'whenthe' flap is folded to close the bag azandathetongnaisinserted through the slitted por- 2() of the slits being not less thanthe width of the Ialo-ckin'gtongueat' the base thereof.

' '3 IRWIN? A; 'EEISS.

'J'LREFERENCES CITED 'f'lhe following'references are of record in 'the*"filebf this patent:

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